Gender differences in gender-role perceptions among Japanese college students

This study investigated gender differences in gender role perceptions among contemporary Japanese college students. Originally, a total of 309 students (III men and 198 women) rated the desirability of 60 items of the Japanese version of Bem Sex Role Inventory for both men and women. One hundred fifty-nine students' desirability ratings for men and 150 students' desirability ratings for women were randomly selected. A significant gender difference was found only on the desirability ratings of feminine items for men with the males having a higher mean score than the females (p < .001). There was no gender difference in the desirability ratings of feminine items for women and masculine items for men and for women. Several possible explanations for the present results were discussed. A comparison of the present findings to the results of the previous study (Kashiwagi, 1974) was also discussed.